When we decided to resurrect the Big DIPA, we knew that we needed to make it bigger and better. We've brought the beer back with the same 10.5%ABV as before, the same massive amounts of hops as before, but this time, we've aged it on oak spirals. Oak spirals suspended in solution allow more surface area to come into contact with the beer increasing the oak presence without increasing exposure time. This results in a smoother oak flavor and further compliments the extraordinary hop characteristics. Cheers!

This is a horrible DIPA, especially if you're coming in from working in the yard, hot & sweaty, drooling with anticipation for the wonderful citrusy tang of an IPA...however, it is an outstanding example of an American Barley Wine. Matter of fact, I'd dare put this offering from Heavy Seas in the same realm of a "Bigfoot" or "Old Guardian"! Others have reviewed this brew with the same conclusion...well, lesson learned...read Ba before so you'll have a better idea what you're after. My ratings reflect this as a Barley Wine, not as a DIPA!

Everybody's doing an imperial IPA nowadays, and Heavy Seas tears from the norm of the style and does things a bit (ordinary for them) different. Toppling ten-percent strength and using oak aging, this massive ale steps out of the realm of IPA and into the world of American barleywine.

A strong mahogany stained pour is all that's needed to sell the notion of this ale's wood influence. Yellowish in its frothy austere, the scent floods the nose with equal parts hops, malt and wood with caramel, citrus, fresh oak and freshly torn pine needles. Early flavors open up the white grapefruit and sappy fragrance with a waft of flowery perfume.

Balanced, but aggressively so, freshly zested grapefruit duel it out with an underlay of toffee, a drift of spicy oak, bread crust and pecan. Strong alcohol presence makes its character known in the middle and exacerbates the beer's overall bitter and tannic taste.

Then to finish, the beer's malty taste and texture is holding firm, acting like barleywine. But the tidal wave of hops offer up a resinous sticky sweet bitterness that only big IPA can deliver. Extra alcohol spice links up with wood tannin, phenol spice and solvent taste to push the dryness and happiness into the forefront of finish.